B) The GM has gone on and on (and on and on) about the need to build from within. He has been very public about his plan to re-stock the cupboard and develop those cheap, young kids who can contribute.

C) The Leafs have a preponderance of centres and there most pressing need at forward is clearly a quality winger to play with Mats Sundin

Is there anyone that can take points A, B and C and conclude that the logical next step is to deal a young defensive prospect and a second round pick for 20 games worth of a soft, career minus centre that spends less than 30 seconds a game on the PK?

Anyone see the value in a second round pick and a prospect for a UFA who will leave for nothing in the off-season? Oh, and for those of you who don’t think a second round pick is too high a price to pay, the Leafs dealt a second rounder at the deadline for Aki Berg and the Kings ended up with Mike Cammalleri.

Anyone?

And finally, this has to put an end to the rumour that JFJ will lose his job if the Leafs don't qualify for the post-season. Because if that were true and JFJ's lone move was to deal for Perrault, this team is in far more trouble than I ever imagined.

9 comments:

Who would rather have "right now"? Bell or Perreault? If the Leafs weren't locked up with McCabe, Kaberle, and Kubina then yes, trading Bell would have been a mistake. But when was Bell supposed to play? Is Bell better than Woz? White? Cola? No, he's not. I like the trade. It gives the Leafs the best faceoff man in the game. Something they lacked last night.

I'm satisfied with Perreault...offensively he's an improvement on Stajan and Pohl at centre, and Wellwood is capable enough on the wing. Between between Bell, Colaiacovo, White, Kronwall and Wozniewski Bell I'd say is the weakest. They needed some more finesse up front and I think that out of all the players who didn't go for a first rounder or youth of similar value (Boyes), only Biron could be argued as being more immediately valuable as Perreault. It wasn't cheap but I think it'll work out well.

As for Cammalleri...that second round pick could easily have turned out to be Doug Lynch or Tomas Slovak or Martin Podelsak etc...13 of 33 guys drafted in the 2001 2nd round still haven't played an NHL game.

Pat - Loved your work with the Whalers...I'm curious to know, when you say this deal will work out well - what do you mean?

If the Leafs miss the playoffs, but Perrault wins 70% of his face-offs, is that enough?

I'm not being a smart ass, I'm genuinely curious to know, empirically, what for you is the tipping point that would make this deal a good one? A point per game for Perrault? Making the post-season, winning a round?

I guess i must be the only one to agree with you then ;) while Perreault is a decent player and good at what he does (faceoffs, yes), this stinks of placation. JFJ obviously pulled off the quickest deal that made the least bit of sense in the books. Gawddd...When i saw what Biron went for (and the sabres got CONKLIN?! roflmao), i almost wish the swapped Raycroft for him :P

Good call, I guess the benchmark would have to be making the playoffs. Its assumed they won't be resigning him in the offseason (nor should they, really), so at the end of the day they traded something for nothing if they don't make the postseason. My guess is JFJ wouldn't have pulled the deal had Smyth moved to the Isles earlier. It was a desperation move to be sure, but until I see their performance with at least Tucker in the lineup. I'm not willing to write these guys off as a non-playoff team. And for better or for worse, neither is Ferguson.Then again, although I was drunk at the time, I seem to recall feeling some excitement about the introduction into the lineup of a player whose identity will remain concealed (lets just call him Calle J.), so maybe my judgment's more than a bit off!

I don't know what sort of coverage you got on the trade, but we traded away Brendan Bell, not a young prospect. Bell's 24 this month and he's still the worst of all the prospective defensemen, and a second-round pick in a weak overall draft isn't something that'll make me weep.

Incidentally, joi? Switching Biron for Raycroft? Would you mind providing me with your home address? It's nothing major, a formality really, I just need to know where to send the men with the white coats and the sedatives.

Erik Thanks for the comment, I still think 24 is young for an NHL defenceman, but maybe one shouldn't still be a prospect at that age.

As for the draft pick, my understanding is it's for 2008, which is a much deeper draft year than 2007...I think it's too high a price for 20 games of Yanic, especially when you consider that Stajan and Kumelin are 2 of the Leafs 3 most recent second round picks.

Like I said, Bell is the least of all the prospective blueliners we have, and if memory serves, Harrison, Cola and White are all younger than him and presumably have more time to develop. Hell, White's apparently in the top ten of all rookies this season - and that's not my opinion, that's something an NHL.com writer opined. OK, maybe the "prime years" for a D-man come later on in life, but Bell's nowt more than a minor-league player anyway. Phoenix looking to him for blueline support makes me laugh lustily. I said over at Raking Leafs that, like the Guerin trade, if Perrault can help us get into the playoffs it will has been worth it, and I stand by that.